Top 10 Scenes from the “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy
-->
Okay, I admit, I am a bit of a nerd. I don’t do pocket protectors, tape on glasses or plaid pants, so I am a cool nerd, but a nerd none the less. One of the ways that this nerdiness manifests itself is in my unabashed admiration of the LOTR trilogy. If you don’t see your favorite scene, I’m sorry…no, I’m not, it’s my list.
10. Shelob’s Stalks and Stings Frodo (ROTK)
Couldn’t decide which one was more frightening, the sight (and thought) of a car sized spider appearing out of nowhere to chase you through his apartment sized web or a being silently stalked by said spider and then being impaled by his javelin of a stinger? You be the judge.
9. Legolas Acrobatic Horse Mount
Legolas firing on the Wargriders to his acrobatic mount on the horse (TTT) – I just got back from seeing “Cirque Du Soleil” and couldn’t help but think that Legs would put all of those guys to shame! First watching him pick of Orcs across a plain with his arrows behind those menacing trumpets is thrilling. And then watching him grab the horses bridle and flip on the horses back is just plain cool! More about this scene here.
8. Pippin Sings to Lord Denathor (ROTK)
The reason that this is here is the impact of contrast. Think “The Godfather”, “A Bronx Tale” and … “FaceOff”. Two movies that used a pleasant melody and sweet song/scene with a violent one. This makes the violence seem even more brutal. Pippin’s surprisingly sweet and plaintive song of sorrow is the perfect anti-compliment to the Faramir led battle.
7. Arwen Pursued by the Nazgul (FOTR)
This scene was the moment for me when she stopped being “Steven’s daughter” and became “Liv”. By the way, has there been a scarier group of undead guys in movie history?
6. Aragorn Returns (TTT)
Every action hero needs a signature scene and this is his. How cool did Viggo look when he pushed open those doors and silently announced his re-arrival? That one scene shot his street-cred through the stratosphere!
5. Eowyn Discovered on the Battlefield (ROTK)
This scene was an emotional wonder. The despair of a brother who has just discovered his sister seemingly dead on the battlefield (that look of horror on Eomer’s face is brilliant and hard to look away from), the sincere care of Aragorn to Eowyn (By the way, I want that ring!), the concern of her on looking brother and the burgeoning love between Faramir and Eowyn all held together by a haunting song by an ethereal singer. I have been looking for that song for forever and can’t find it! Can somebody help me out
4. Aragorn Honors the Hobbits (ROTK)
When the four bow to the newly crowned king, Aragorn stops them and stated “My friends, you bow to no one!” and leads the entire kingdom to bow to the four diminutive heroes. I defy you to watch this scene and not get choked up just a little.
3. Gollum/Smeagol’s Schizophrenic Conversation (TTT)
If a computer generated image could win an Oscar, Gollum (or Sméagol, if he suits you!) would have run away with it. With this scene, Peter King upped the ante as to what you can do in a movie with a computer (plus, the way it was filmed made you actually think it was two separate people. Sort of a Split Screen 2.0.), legitimized Andy Serkis’ inclusion in the trilogy and gave us another facet to an already fascinating character.
2. Gandalf Explains the “Afterlife” to Pippin (ROTK)
Watching what the great Ian McKellen did with the brilliant poetic lines of Tolkien, it is no wonder that Billy Boyd (Pippin) was transfixed and hanging on his every word. To look at Ian’s eyes, you saw that he was Gandalf, he had been to that “far green sunrise” and he could not wait to get back…*sigh!*…
1. Gandalf Fights the Balrog – Frodo’s Tearful Look (FOTR)
This scene was amazing on many different levels, but the most significant is what it did to the characters and how it foreshadowed the storylines. It polarized and solidified characters. It showed Gandalf making the ultimate sacrifice (can anyone say “Jesus figure”?), forced Aragorn into leadership (speaking of which, that look that he gives as he watched Gandalf fall in the crevasse is fantastic! You can literally see his switch go on. It is a crime that Viggo’s mantle is bare.), forced Legolas to deal with death and grief and shocked the Hobbits into the realization that outside of their idyllic world, there existed death, pain, sorrow and suffering and it could hit them personally. There was a great contrast near the end of that scene; Sam’s response to Aragorn versus Frodo’s. Sam was pulled to his feet by Aragorn and stood firm despite his grief, Frodo fled, and in the process gave us one of the most poignant moments in movie history. This contrast would be played out brilliantly in the rest of the trilogy.
Written by Jonathan Hopkins
Related top 10 lists
Regarding #5, the singer was actually Liv Tyler herself! And I did find the song
Excellent list, although my favorite scene in the trilogy will always be the last march of the Ents. Great imagery and that haunting tune gets me every time.
Coog
One of my favorite scenes.
a
my favorite scene in the movie had to be when the fellowship was in the cave where the dwarves where massacred and they were waiting for the goblins to come…
they had a kodak moment when they were all standing (Gimli was on the gravestone) weapons at hand when Boromir slowly twirls his sword.. *ch-chik
when they were in the cave where the dwarves were massacred.. the fellowship was standing waiting for the goblins to come.. (Gimli was on the gravestone) then Boromir slowly twirls his sword.
picture perfect
OMG I have to rewatch the trilogy now. I love all those scenes, but I have an addition: Pippin and Merry at the end of TTT, finding the pipe leaf. AND whenever there was a battle (especially Helm’s Deep), I loved the imagery.
#2, when Gandalf says those lines, it is definitely one of my favorite scenes in the entire trilogy. But I would have added a couple scenes, such as the final scene in Return of the King, in which the boat sails off into the horizon. Also, the entire final battle scene. When Aragorn said, “For Frodo”, the combinations of music and slow motion sent chills down my spine. How about we just say the entire series, for Lord of the Rings is one of the best.
very nice. but i would have included the battle of the pellenor fields, helms deep, and the crack of doom
1. Galadriel narrating the introduction to FOTR.
â??There were some, who resisted.â??
2. The Witch King drawing his flaming brand in Minas Tirith. And a cyclone forming above it.
â??Do you not know death when you see it old man. This is my hour.â??
3. The lighting of the beacons.
â??Amon Dinâ??.
4. The reflection of the ring on Frodoâ??s face.
â??Wait. There are markings. Itâ??s some form of Elvish.â??
5. Elrond at home.
â??The blood of Numenor is all but spent. Itâ??s pride and dignity forgotten. I was there Gandalf. I was there three thousand years ago. I was there the day the strength of men failed.â??
6. Saruman consulting history books.
â??The Dwarves delved too greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-Dum. Shadow. And flame.
7. Gandalf consulting history books.
‘It has come to me, the One Ring. It shall be an heirloom of my kingdom. All those who follow in my bloodline shall be bound to its fate for I will risk no hurt to the Ring. It is precious to me, though I buy it with great pain.’”
8. Gollum in the dead marshes.
â??Wraiths. Wraiths on wingsâ?¦.They are calling for it. They are calling for the precious.â??
9. Shadowfax.
â??That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell.â??
10. Eomer.
â??Look for your friends. But do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands.â??
If you haven’t read the books, you aren’t a nerd. And if you haven’t read the Silmarillion, you still aren’t a true nerd. Nice list though.
#5 is called “The Houses of Healing”. It is available on the extended LOTR soundtracks
dude. all of you are missing by far the best scene. “i can’t carry it for you, but i can carry you!” come on! anyone?
know what i mean?
Definitely agree with you Bob.
But that scene with Frodo having a tear down his eye at the end of FOTR and hearing Gandalf’s voice talk about deciding what to do with the time that is given to you, that should have made it in. And, Faramir’s, “Do you wish that our places had been exchanged? That I had died and Boromir had lived?”
Oh, and Legolas’s, “What about side-by-side with a friend?”
Got a few more but don’t have time…
I’m surprised The Ride of the Rohirrim wasn’t anywhere on this list. That by all means deserved to be in at least the top five. Although there were a few *minor* deviations from the text of the book (having Theoden lead the “Death! Death! Death!” chorus, and not Eomer), I think of all the scenes in the trilogy this was the closest to the spirit of Tolkien’s writing.
I’ve heard so many people complaining about the textual / literal differences between book and film, and the occasional departures in spirit as well (let’s be honest, there’s a lot in there that Tolkien himself would probably have disapproved of). But this one scene more than made up for it in my mind. Nothing less, imo, than THE greatest and most powerful scene in movie history ever. (Take that, “I am your father” Star Wars fans.) “Ride, ride to ruin, and the world’s ending! Forth Eorlingas!” When I first watched that bit in the cinema, I was so choked up with tears I couldn’t actually see what was going on. Bona fide classic!